


The Perfect Book

by Underunderthunder



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-04-07
Packaged: 2019-04-19 12:57:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14237781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Underunderthunder/pseuds/Underunderthunder
Summary: Jean was just looking for a place to wait out the storm. What he found was an adventure he did not ask for.Written for Jearmin Week 2018 Day 1: Fantasy





	The Perfect Book

**Author's Note:**

> Hello friends!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this one-shot! Written for Jearmin Week 2018 over at thejearmincollective on Tumblr. 
> 
> Thanks <3

A freak storm hit the city hard that Thursday afternoon. No warnings had alerted Jean of this windy downpour. The city dwellers quickly fled into nearby cafes and in the little stores along the sidewalk. He knew he was going to be late to class, but his bookbag held too many expensive textbooks to be ruined by this wet weather. The professor would just have to understand. 

It had not occurred to him that he had raced into a bookshop until he noticed the dozens of tall bookshelves crowding the room. They were much taller than he was and Jean found it nearly impossible to tell how many filled the small space. There was nowhere to sit down, causing him to find a small alcove near the window. He watched the rain pelt the window and wondered if it would ever stop.

The lightning began shortly after he entered the bookshop and thunder shook the shelves. Jean feared that they may tumble and crush him. At least then he wouldn’t have to study for his upcoming midterms.

A soft hum floated above him from somewhere among the maze of shelves. Venturing out from his hiding spot, he moved between the tall bookcases, being mindful not to trip over the stacks of books that did not have a home. The further he went, the darker the store became and the more vibrant the humming vibrated deep in his bones.

“Hello?” Jean called out.

The humming stopped.

A voice called out from nearby.“May I help you?” 

It took a few more turns deeper into the dimly lit store before he came upon a small man sitting at a wooden table. A stack of books covered nearly every inch of the table with just enough room for a lamp. The man wore a pair of black-rimmed glasses and a bulky burgundy cardigan.

“I just was looking for a place to wait out the rain,” Jean admitted. “I didn’t realize anyone else was here.”

The man smiled. “I’m always here, I’m the Book-Keeper.”

“A bookkeeper?” Jean asked, unsure if that was the right name for someone who worked in a dusty old bookstore.

“No,” The man closed the book he was reading and adjusted his glasses. “I’m the Book-Keeper. There is only one of me now.”

“Right…”Jean muttered as he searched for the quickest exit.

Clearly, this man, who really looked more like a boy, took way too much pride in what had to have been a minimum wage job. 

“My name is Armin and I would love to help find the right book for you. What is your name?”

“Jean and thanks but no thanks,” Jean said as he held up his hand as if it would put a stop to his thoughts. 

Another rumbling of thunder erupted as Armin crossed his legs. Jean rolled his eyes when he noticed he was wearing mismatched socks yet admitted to himself that it was endearing. Armin seemed to be purposefully trying to fit into that ‘weirdo in an old bookshop’ role.

“May I ask why?” Armin asked.

“I don’t really have time to read.” Jean shrugged. “I’m too busy with school and actually having a social life.”

He knew how much of an ass he sounded like, but it was true. Between his college classes, extracurricular activities, and being involved in the community, he had no time to sit down and read for simple pleasure. He barely had time to finish his homework. 

Armin did not seem to take any offense to his statement. What had he called himself? The Book-Keeper? It sounded like some old guy tucked away in a museum. Such a strange title for someone who did not look much older than he was.

Scrunching his nose, Armin whispered. “Maybe you just haven't found the right book?” 

Armin rose from his seat and disappeared among the shelves. Jean stood for a moment, unsure if he should head back to the front and see if the rain had stopped or wait for the Book-Keeper to return. 

“Fantasy or Romance?” Armin called out from the stacks.

Jean shook his head although he knew Armin could not see it. “Neither. I said I really don’t have time to read.”

“Humor me.” Armin’s voice was softer. “Fantasy or Romance?”

A crackle of lighting seemed much closer than it should be but it told him that the storm was far from over. It was obvious he was going to be late for class, so might as well let the bookworm have fun.

“Fantasy, I guess” Jean replied. He really wasn’t in the mood for a love story.

He could hear some minor shuffling and moments later Armin reemerged with a stack of books. The stack seemed taller than Armin and Jean hurried over to help him put the books on the table. 

Armin thanked him before digging into the books. “Fantasy is a huge genre. While fantasy books didn’t really emerge in popular culture until the 1800s, many myths and legends have been incorporated into books, movies, and other media...”

Jean enjoyed listening to Armin discussed various fantasy author and styles, what types of dragons were his favorite, and how modern day movies have dipped into so many of these books without giving them recognition. The more Armin talked, the brighter his eyes lit up and the more hectic he searched through the stack of books.

“Ah, here we go!” Armin shrieked so suddenly that it caused Jean to take a step back.

Armin picked up a small red book with the lettering so faded Jean could not make it out. He brushed away the dust and rubbed what looked like an ink stain in the corner. Jean would have never picked up that old thing and looked suspiciously at Armin as he gracefully ran a finger down the spine.

“I think I may have found your story,” Armin told him as he held the book to his chest.

Jean sighed. “I appreciate all you are doing but I don’t have any money on me right now.”

“A story doesn’t cost money.” Armin took a few steps towards him with the biggest smile his gentle face could muster. “A story is absolutely free. Sure, a book in a bookstore costs money, but I’m not asking you to buy a book from a bookstore.”

Jean blinked hard and scanned the room he was in once again. “Isn’t this a bookstore?”

Armin tilted his head to the side but didn’t answer his question. Instead, he nodded his head towards the back of the store where the shelves were even more cluttered and mismatched. With a light ‘follow me,’ Armin disappeared into the darkness of books and dust. 

Jean headed the opposite direction. His feet moved him back towards the front of the store. He did not have time for this. He had homework, his job, and his friends that needed attention. He hadn’t been to the gym today and he was certain he was forgetting something else. Rain or no rain, he didn’t have enough minutes to give to books or this oddball with kind eyes.

_He did have kind eyes…_

Most days were spent making himself the best he could be. This meant he tended to be overly cocky, sometimes arrogant, but always aware of others. He recognized when individuals were giving him fake smiles as he had trained himself to do the same. Armin had given him one of the first real smiles he had seen in awhile and the storm still seemed to be raging on.

“Oh, what the hell,” Jean mumbled to himself as he turned around.

He traced his steps back to the crowded table and kept moving forward. The further in he went the dustier the books became. For the first time, Jean wondered just how old this space was. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more he realized he had never seen this store before. He certainly would have remembered, wouldn’t he?

He found Armin a few more bookcases down sitting on a beaten up yellow couch with a large quilt wrapped around his shoulders. The red book sat on his lap being handled like a baby and when he noticed Jean his face lit up like a cat discovering an unoccupied bowl of milk.

“Take a seat,” Armin patted to the spot next to him.

“Sure, why not,” Jean said aloud and tossed his bookbag to the side.

Jean sunk into the couch and did not protest with Armin threw the quilt over his shoulders as well. It was a bit disturbing how quickly Armin became friendly but Jean didn’t seem to feel like it was a problem. 

Armin tapped the book. “This is truly one of my favorites. It holds a collection of stories, each magical and wonderful although some horrible and heartbreaking. You are really in for a treat.”

“Thanks, um...I’ll make sure to read it when I have time…”

Scooting closer, Armin nudged him. “You seem to be very worried about time. Time won’t be an issue here. Are you ready to go?”

Jean nervously laughed, suddenly fearful. “Go where?”

The Book-Keeper didn’t answer, but scrunched up his nose in an all-knowing grin and turned his attention to the book. Jean’s eyes followed and watched as Armin carefully opened the book. 

At first, Jean thought the blinding light was a flash of lightning, but knew that the windows facing the street were far from this couch. It was when he felt himself falling that he knew something horrible had happened. He let out a scream but could not hear his own voice. The world was white and he could not determine shapes.

Was this how the world ended? Was he dying?

Color returned to his world the moment he collided face first into the ground. The first thing he saw when his eyes adjusted was green grass and a small daisy. He groaned as he rolled onto his back. The rain had ceased and the sun was out. 

Or at least it had been until a very large shadow covered it.

“What the…”Jean mumbled but was cut off by a horrible roar.

The shadow was not the problem. It was the even larger beast flying behind it, it’s wings the length of houses and its breath built of fire. Jean couldn’t even find the bravery to scream as it blew a blazing puff into the distance. 

“Get up, get up, get up!” 

Jean’s eyes darted to the side and found Armin running towards him. His outfit had changed as he now wore what looked like a tunic and tights and a sword was swinging at his side. Time to soak in Armin’s new look quickly ran out as the ground shook as if it planned to rip apart.

Armin didn’t have to tell him again that he had to get up. Jumping to his feet, he raced towards Armin. The world still shifted and Jean feared that the monster had landed nearby. He was far too afraid to look. 

“What is going on!” He shouted as he closed the gap between them.

“We landed in the wrong chapter!” Armin replied and held out his hand. “Run to the trees, the dragon hates them. We can jump from there.”

Not a single word Armin said made sense to him. None of this made sense to him. One moment he was on a couch and the next he was running from a dragon. Last time he checked, dragons only existed in books, and if they only existed in books but there was one clearly behind them…

“This is a crazy question...but...” Jean huffed as his legs pumped as hard as he could. “Are we in the book? Like physically in the book?”

They made it to the trees and ran deep into their shade. From their hiding spot, Jean had a good view of the dragon. It was truly so much bigger now that it was on the ground. The scales were a vibrant green and it had spikes along his tail. It was destroying everything in sight and for the first time, Jean could see hundreds of soldiers armed with blades and spears running towards it.

“We are in the story,” Armin finally answered. “But the wrong chapter. I meant for us to land in a much tamer part of the story, perhaps even a different tale, but I must have gone to the wrong page, hence the dragon. I know that is a little extreme for a first jump.” Armin rummaged in his tunic as he said the last part. “Sorry about that.”

“Sorry?” Jean panted as he watched the dragon let out a vicious roar. “You almost get us killed and all you have to say is sorry?”

Armin shrugged. “Easy mistake.”

From beyond the trees, a stampede of soldiers on horseback charged towards the dragon. They wore shiny suits of armor which Jean assumed was incredibly uncomfortable. They carried banners and even had a few drummers. 

“Aw, we are going to miss the battle,” Armin sighed as he looked at the book. “It could get dangerous, though, so we should probably jump. Give me your hand.”

Jean had never run towards danger before and the pounding in his head told him to keep it that way. 

“Do I have a choice?” Jean asked although he knew the answer.

Armin motioned with his outstretched hand. “Not really.”

Jean clenched Armin’s hand hard as Armin flipped the book open. Once again the world went white and it made his stomach churn. As the light began to descend, he was able to make out Armin’s face next to him. Illuminated by the pale light, he appeared to be experiencing unadulterated joy. 

The landing was much softer and the world was unlike one he had ever seen before. There was no way to tell if it was night or day as the sky was painted a blushing pink. The ground was covered in moss and celandine but smelled like fog on a stormy night. Small songbirds fluttered through the long windblown willow branches as they were playing a tune that sounded like bells. 

“You should like this chapter much better,” Armin gleefully stated.

The Book-Keeper’s outfit had changed once again and it appeared his own had too. They were both wearing long pale robes tied by a thin strap. They were barefoot and the moss felt nice between his toes. Armin, his glasses missing, wore a crown of pepper berry branches and large white roses while his own was simply baby’s breath twisted with the willow branches.

Jean allowed their hands to remained clasped as Armin led him to a river. The banks were steep but they used caution. When Armin released his hand to scoop a handful of river water Jean felt a new feeling of uncomfortableness he wasn’t expecting.

“Try it,” Armin offered him, holding his cupped hands towards Jean.

Letting himself trust Armin, he placed his lips against Armin’s skin and let the cool liquid flow down his throat. It was not just water but held a wondrous sweetness. He drank deep and when there was nothing left, he peered down to find Armin staring at him with his large blue eyes. A series of fireflies circled Armin’s head like they were attached to his crown.

“Where are we?” Jean asked.

“The Land of the Fae.” Armin took his hand again and led him through the willow branches. “It's a chapter of wonder and beauty. The rivers run sweet and the fruit trees bare all year long. We cannot stay long, though, as we are human and can easily succumb to the pleasure. Once that happens, we become prey to the wee folk.”

“I thought fairies were kind?” Jean wondered aloud as he ran his free hand along the cattails growing along the bank.

“Fairies are not kind or unkind,” Armin told him. "They are what they are and nothing more. To be respected, feared and loved. Complicated, like humans, but with magic."

They found a marble bench resting near an onslaught of lilac bushes. Armin offered him the seat first and they sat down, their hands still clasped. Jean was worried if he let go Armin may ‘jump’ away and never return.

“Who are you?” Jean watched as the Book-Keeper produced the red book from somewhere in his tangled robe. 

“I am Armin, the Book-Keeper,” Armin said as he gave the book a pat. “I am a holder of the stories of the world. I care for them, clean them up when needed, make sure everyone has what they need. Basic maintenance.”

Jean accepted this answer as he wasn’t sure how else to understand what he was going through. He swore he could hear something in the distance, like chimes on Christmas morning, but pushed it aside.

“How are we here right now?” Jean questioned.

“Easy, we jump into the stories,” Armin explained. “Well, easy for me. I’ve been doing it forever. Book-Keepers need to be able to get deep into the tale to make sure all the cogs and wheels are working well.”

“Are there more than one?” 

Eyes forecasted, Armin spoke quietly. “There is just me left. The rest have moved on.”

An enchanting voice called to him from somewhere far away. It shimmered like sunlight on windchimes and he could not determine its origins. He wanted to find the voice and swim in it. Standing up, he tried to walk away from Armin but felt the pull to stay where he was.

“Jean, we should go.”

“There is music, Armin,” He whispered.

It called just to him like nothing had before. It promised him riches, fame, respect, and love. He would have the most magnificent life with anything and everything his heart desired. All it asked in return was his loyalty until the day he died.

“Such a small price to pay…” His words came out like mud, slow and sloppy.

Raising to stand next to him, Armin intertwined their fingers together.

“That is why we have to go. Brace yourself.”

He heard the words like they were being spoken into a tunnel. The strong desire to seek out the music was destroyed when the blinding light that took him over. Sober and alert, he looked towards Armin and felt relieved when he could make out his shape. It was like his eyes were adjusting to the brightness sooner than before. It took mere moments for Armin’s soft features to be visible and his warm smile to soothe him from his fairy magic hangover.

The landing was even smoother than before. The landscape reminded him of the countryside where no land had been tilled. As far as he could see was green grass and only a cluster of trees nearly 300 yards away. 

Armin’s get up was certainly a different one and none he had seen in any film before. He wore a brown jacket that cut off a little too soon and a dark green cape. His trousers were white and he wore dark boots. A bulky contraception was outfitted to his thighs and it seemed he was dressed the same. His only guess was they were some sort of soldier.

“Oh…”Armin’s eyes darted to Jean. “Not a good chapter. I’m so sorry I’ve been so off on our jumps. We should-”

Jean felt the noise before he heard it. It shook the ground and made the birds flee from the trees in the distance. Another rumble and he watched Armin’s eyes go wide.

“Is it another dragon?” He asked as he took a step back.

Armin shook his head. “Worse.”

From the trees emerged a nudge giant with a face so twisted Jean knew it would remain in his nightmares. It looked too human to be a monster but yet no humanity remained in the creature. It had a smile that spread from ear to ear and looking hungrily down on them.

“Jean, grab my hand,” Armin said quietly.

Its eyes were dead and staring as it looked down on them. Its haunted grin told him that if he was not quick he would be devoured whole to burn away in its stomach. His knees quaked as his heartbeat rose. 

Behind them was a sound he could recognize as a flare gun but he feared to dart his eyes away from the horrible beast. It may have only been second but he felt as though he stood frozen in the ground for decades watching this whole monster look down at him until it finally made a quick motion with its hand.

“Run!” Armin screamed and he felt himself being dragged to the left. 

Remembering how to move his feet, Jean tried not to cry, or scream, or throw up, or a mixture of any of the three as they ran towards the stomping of hoofbeats. He couldn’t bring himself to turn around and just hoped he made it to the treeline in time.

“When I say so, grab my hand!” Armin hollered at him. “The Titan, unlike the dragon, dwell in the forest. It will be absolutely no protection to us. Ahead of us is a sort of calvary that will not stop to help us as their objective will be the Titan. We need to jump."

Jean swallowed hard and began to wonder if his parents would ever know he was eaten alive by this thing. Would someone at least let his professors know that he wasn’t coming back? There goes his chance at making the Dean’s List again.

Armin came to a halt and turned on his heels. He did not look like the adorable little bookstore worker with mismatched socks like Jean had initially thought. The man ahead of him was bold and determined. As if he had lived this life before.

“Now!”

Jean reached out his hand until their fingers were touching. He gave one last look towards the beast as Armin opened the book. The hideous thing had turned its attention away as something even worse came charging towards them and the Titan. Equally as large but much more frightening, this ‘Titan,’ as Armin had called it, had long hair and ran like any human would. It just managed to step over them, as if it was doing so purposely. It charged the smiling Titan as the blinding light, now more comforting than ever, took over his vision. 

When he opened his eyes, he was on the old yellow couch sitting next to Armin in a dusty bookstore. He was safe but the adrenaline hit him like a shot to the heart. He propelled himself from the couch and grabbed his bookbag. 

It felt horrible that he did not say goodbye. He did not stay to talk about the crazy adventure they had just been on. He did not even exchange phone numbers with someone he had such a life-changing experience with.

Instead, he ran.

Ignoring Armin’s calls from the back of the store, Jean navigated the maze through the towers of books and out the front door. The rain was still pouring but he no longer cared about the safety of his textbooks. The drops were cold and hit him like pellets shot from a gun. They stung but it did not stop him. He leaped over puddles and ran through crosswalks when it wasn’t his turn.

He kept running until he was back in his dorm room. It was there that he found the strength to close his eyes and search for some stillness but it was like he was on a ship being tossed into the rocky sea. The world was truly turned upside down. He was no longer convinced about the tangibleness of his life. 

It was at sunset that he gave himself permission to open his eyes. Everything looked familiar in his room. Same posters of obscure bands, same pile of clothes on his chair, even the same homework that was waiting for him from this morning. Somehow this made him feel even worse.

***

Being a Book-Keeper was such a lonely job. Every morning Armin would greet the sun from his large bed. He would wake alone, dress alone, and eat alone only to work alone. There was so much work to do and the all the time to do it. 

It had been a silly thought to allow someone else into this world. He knew the responsibilities when he took this role lifetimes ago. After seeing so many people he loved go through life and perish he knew better than to get attached to those with an expiration date. 

He was just sitting down with a tea and toast when the bells attached to his door chimed throughout the room. He had ignored it yesterday, thinking it was the wind, but today was different. He set the tea down and raced through the bookshelves.

Armin did not believe his eyes when he saw Jean, the first person in this world to speak to him in a century, trying to catch his breath in the doorway. This strong-willed boy, for whatever reason, brought himself back.

“Jean?” Armin said softly to not frighten him away. “May I help you?”

“I’m ready,” Jean said breathlessly, his eyes bright. “I want to go again.”

Jean stretched out his hand and Armin took it without hesitation. His heart floated when they clasped their hands. It had been such a long time since there was another Book-Keeper around.

Armin’s could feel his nose scrunch in delight. “Wonderful! I know the perfect book!”


End file.
